Superboy meets Red Robin
by Dream As I Read
Summary: Superboy was left quite confused by their previous multiverse visitors, Nightwing and Red Robin. He is about to become even more confused (and terrified) as another Red Robin is dropped into their universe. One who seems to be grumpier, snarkier and incredibly mad at Superboy for some inexplicable reason. Sequel to "Pick-Up" but can be read on it's own. Enjoy! ;)


******DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN YOUNG JUSTICE OR TEEN TITANS. THIS SHORT FANFICTION IS WRITTEN PURELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES, BASED ON CHARACTERS BORROWED FROM THE TEEN TITANS COMICS AND THE CARTOON "YOUNG JUSTICE".**

Sometimes life as a teenage superhero was hard. Even more so if you were a clone whose mentor seemed to despise you. Other times it wasn't so much 'hard' as utterly mind-bogglingly confusing.

Superboy was still faintly disturbed by their previous multiverse visitors when it happened again. This time, when the swirling vortex appeared in Mount Justice, it spat out two very different people.

The first one he could hardly see as whomever it was started zipping around the room at hyper speed, yelling out an unintelligible stream of words. The next was a slight figure that seemed strangely familiar to Superboy. He just couldn't pinpoint when exactly he'd seen this person before.

The rest of the team was quicker to react. Artemis jumped up from her position on the couch, already notching an arrow in her bow whereas Wally took off after the strange blur. Robin flipped himself over the couch and landed neatly about three feet from the second intruder.

The boy, Superboy noticed, was completely calm, as if this kind of thing happened to him all the time. He surveyed the scene through his mask then carefully put both hands up in a show of surrender. His voice, when he spoke, was also calm and even, "It's okay. We aren't enemies. We're from an alternate dimension."

Meanwhile, the other multiverse visitor had slowed down and come to stand comfortably next to his friend. He immediately started yelling something in rapid bursts so that Superboy could barely catch what he was saying.

"Omigodomigodomigodwearesodea domigodI'msosorryTimIshouldhavelisten ednowwhereareweandwhatareweg onnadocanwegetbackdoyouhavea nyideawhereweare-"

"Kid Flash. Shut. Up."

The hyperactive one immediately clammed up and the other boy turned back to the team, "Sorry about that. He's a speedster."

"I get it," Robin grinned. "They speak before they think. Wally's like that too. It takes forever for his brain to catch up to what his mouth is saying."

"Hey!"

The other boy didn't smile. "Well, as I was saying, this is Kid Flash. I am Red Robin. We were actually after a thief. Apparently, the artifact he was stealing was some kind of dimension-opening device. Long story short, we fell through."

Wally spoke up, "You know, you guys are our second group of multiverse travelers in a month."

"Really?" Their visitor didn't sound even remotely interested, but Wally pushed on. "Yeah, last time it was some guy named Nightwing and his little brother who was dressed like a chick."

"Red Robin," Artemis chimed in, "Yeah, his name was Red Robin too. That wouldn't happen to be you, would it?"

Red Robin shrugged, "As far as I know, this is the first time I'm visiting this universe."

Robin grinned, "That doesn't prove anything. It could have been another version of you from another dimension. Right, _Timmy_?"

Red Robin stiffened at the use of his name and turned a glare on Robin, who didn't even flinch. That is, until Red Robin frowned and said deceptively calmly, "I'm not in a particularly good mood, D. So back off unless you want me to spill about _your_ high-flying past."

Robin paled but said nothing more. Meanwhile, Red Robin checked his watch and scowled. "Nightwing should be here to pick us up in a while. Until then, I'd appreciate it if you allowed us to wait here."

Kaldur nodded, "You may wait in this room. We will also stay here."

Red Robin shrugged, "Sounds about right." He turned to Kid Flash, "No spoilers."

And on that cryptic note, he moved over to a quiet corner of the room and started tinkering with a weird metal box he seemed to have gotten out of nowhere.

The Young Justice members returned to their usual activities. Artemis spread out on the couch with a magazine while Wally and Robin resumed playing their video games.

Superboy edged carefully into an armchair. "Kon?"

He looked up to see the other Kid Flash grinning at him, "Hey man, I've got a Superboy in my universe too. You look just like him."

Superboy furrowed his eyebrows, "Erm, thank you?"

Kid Flash sighed, perching on the arm of his chair, "Sorry. I'm just a little anxious? Tim's in one of his moods and you never know what's going to happen then."

Superboy sneaked a glance at Red Robin and was a little unsettled to see the boy glaring at them, specifically at him. He nudged Kid Flash nervously, "Why is he glaring at me?"

Kid Flash looked up then immediately looked away, "Don't look, man. Tim's super mad right now. That glare could melt your face off."

Superboy shifted uncomfortably as Red Robin threw him another dirty look. It could be his imagination but the costumed hero from an alternate universe seemed to be glaring at him with a look that promised retribution. And a lot of pain.

"What did I do?" he whispered back at Kid Flash.

Kid Flash shrugged, looking as uncomfortable as Superboy felt, "Nothing. Don't worry about it. Tim likes you, really. You guys are really close back in my universe."

"Is that why he's wearing three Kryptonite studs in his left ear?"

Superboy jumped as Robin joined in the conversation, grinning evilly.

"What?"

Kid Flash shifted uneasily, "Sorry about that. The studs aren't really dangerous. They're too small. Tim just wears them when he's mad at Kon, so Kon can't get too close to him without feeling sick."

"That is incredibly sadistic," Robin commented.

Over at his corner, Tim snorted and muttered a low, "Who asked you?" that could only be heard by Superboy. He stared at Red Robin with wide eyes filled with trepidation but the other boy just continued glaring.

Kid Flash shook his head apologetically, "Sorry, dude. This isn't really your fault but until we get home and Tim is satisfied that Kon has been sufficiently punished, there'll be no reprieve for any of us."

Robin was just about to speak again when another vortex opened in the centre of the room and two more heroes spilled out. One was in a Flash uniform while the other was recognizable as Nightwing, the hero who'd just dropped in barely three weeks ago.

Kid Flash jumped up, "Flash! Nightwing! Youguysareherethat'sgreatnowwecangohome! Iwasafraidweweregonnagetstuc khereforeverandTimisinsuchaw eirdmoodand-"

"Whoa there," Flash commented drily, "Take it easy. Wing and I got Red Robin's message just before you guys got sucked in. Looks like we got here in time."

Kid Flash shot a look at Red Robin, who was now glaring at Superboy from his position next to Nightwing, "You have no idea."

Nightwing, meanwhile, was busy high-fiving Robin, "Sup, little me. How are things?"

Robin grinned at him then jerked his head at Red Robin, "That's one entertaining brother you've got there."

"Oh, you know Timmy?"

"We got another visit from a different multiverse's Nightwing and Red Robin a few weeks ago. At least, I assume they were from another multiverse seeing as this Red Robin has never met us. But then again, they could just be from your future. You never know with these things."

Nightwing nodded sagely, "Yep. I hope Timmy didn't give you any trouble."

Robin shrugged, "Not aside from scaring the hell out of Supey."

Nightwing looked horrified, "Tim! How could you?"

Red Robin didn't answer. He was too busy glaring at Robin.

"Red Robin," Nightwing intoned sternly. "Superboy is innocent of anything you're mad at Kon for. You shouldn't have scared him with your mean looks. Now, go apologise to Superboy before we leave."

Red Robin shot him an incredulous look.

Nightwing nodded encouragingly in Superboy's direction, "Go on."

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Red Robin stalked towards Superboy. The Teen of Steel actually quaked a little at his advance.

Red Robin raised an eyebrow at him then forced an apologetic expression. "I apologise if I made you uncomfortable. I should not have focused my anger onto you, especially seeing as you are NOT the Superboy I wish to disembowel and castrate. I hope you can forgive me."

While Superboy gaped at him, trying to figure out whether he'd just received an apology or a thinly veiled threat, Red Robin glanced back at Nightwing. Satisfied that the older hero was no longer paying attention, he turned back to Superboy.

"Nevertheless, I am sure that every dimension's version of you is an idiotic bonehead who just loves to jump into dangerous situations and worry the hell out of people who care about them. As such, you deserved every single glare and are just lucky I don't have the time to pummel some sense into you at this moment."

With that, Red Robin turned on his heel and rejoined his companions who already had a faint light shimmering around them.

"Bye guys," Nightwing shouted cheerily. "It was nice to meet you!"

In another flash, they were gone. Superboy sank unsteadily back into his chair. He really hoped that he'd never meet another Red Robin. No matter which universe he came from. Oh, and he'd better avoid all the 'Tims' too.

Robin cackled merrily as he watched his teammate's face. Now **that** was an entertaining afternoon.


End file.
